Pioneers blast Cougars
By Steve Behr

sports@wataugademocrat.com

Watauga’s football team let Alexander Central know that its regular season win over the Cougars was no accident.

The Pioneers used big plays to blast Alexander Central 42-14 Friday night in the first round of the state 4-A playoffs. The win did not exactly mirror the Pioneers’ 50-22 rout of the Cougars back in September, but there was little doubt that once the Pioneers took control of the game, there was little Alexander Central could do to stop it.

“I thought we had a good week of preparation,” Pioneers coach Adrian Snow said. “We were up 14-0 and (the coaches) were thinking like (the Cougars) were up seven. We wanted to try to finish and put them away and we felt like we could.”

Watauga hosts Central Cabarrus, which is the No. 9 seed of the 4-A bracket this Friday at Jack Groce Stadium in the second round of the playoffs. The Vikings (5-7) received a forfeit to reach the second round when it was revealed that their first round opponent, South Mecklenburg, had used an ineligible player during the season. Central Cabarrus plays in the ME-CA Conference.

The No. 1 seeded Pioneers (9-3) scored 21 points in each half against the 16th seeded Cougars (4-8), who trailed 14-7 at one point in the second quarter, but never got closer than the 21-7 halftime score. Watauga scored on its first drive, a 49-yard pass from Adam Chiarolanzio to Baine Martin, and never really looked back.

“That was big for us,” Watauga running back Eric Breitenstein said. “We really needed to come out and get started. They’re a good team and they throw it around. They have a high-powered offense, so it was big for us to come out and score early.”

Watauga attempted 10 passes the entire game, but Chiarolanzio made three of his four completions in six attempts count. Chiarolanzio hit Martin for touchdown passes of 49 and 58 yards and hit Cam Steury for an 8-yard touchdown in the third quarter to give the Pioneers a 28-7 lead.

Chiarolanzio was merely warming up. He scored on the most unusual play of the game when he recovered a fumbled punt and raced 54 yards for a touchdown.

It started when Watauga’s David Alger punted from the Pioneers’ 9-yard line in the second quarter. The ball rolled to the Watauga 46 when Alexander Central’s Irvin Francisco picked up the ball and started to toss it to an official.

Watauga’s Eric Breitenstein gave Francisco a shove when he was tossing the ball to the official. Chiarolanzio intercepted the ball and started running with it. Since none of the officials had blown a whistle to stop the play, the ball was live and Chiarolanzio raced to the end zone to score.

It gave Watauga a 14-0 lead with 9:45 left in the first half.

“That freak play, it took a little life out of them, to be honest,” Breitenstein said. “The kid made the Cardinal sin of picking up the ball. I saw him pick it up and I said (to myself) ‘You can’t do that.’ So I popped him and somehow it landed in Adam’s lap.”

It was one of two touchdowns Chiarolanzio would score. He also capped the Pioneers’ offensive attack by scoring on a 15-yard run to give the Pioneers a 42-14 lead with 4:45 left in the game. Chiarolanzio and fellow quarterback Blake Beason guided the Watauga offense to 353 total yards on 55 plays.

Chiarolanzio’s 49-yard strike to Martin happened on the Pioneers’ first drive of the game. Martin ran a post route from the weak side of the field and scored easily.

His second touchdown was the same play, but did not come so easily. Martin had to come back to the ball and split between two defenders to make the catch. Once he had it, he sprinted to the right side of the field and reached the end zone.

“I think they got some pressure on us,” Martin said. “All you have to do on that route is throw it up, because the safety slides in and corners played to the outside, so the lane was open. Just throw it up and I’ll get under it.”

Alexander Central quarterback Josh Russell also generated his share of offense, but the Cougars struggled to put the ball in the end zone. Russell completed 20-of-36 passes for 265 yards and a 38-yard touchdown.

That touchdown capped a three-play, 80-yard drive that also included a 42-yard completion to Ralph Adams. It also answered an 8-yard touchdown run by Breitenstein, who gained 140 yards on 25 carries.

However, it only brought the Cougars to within 35-14. Chiarolanzio’s 15-yard score capped an eight play, 61-yard march that took 4:45 off the clock and effectively stomped out any chance of a Cougars late-game rally.

Central’s first touchdown was scored in the second quarter when Russell capped an 80-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown run. Martin caught his second touchdown pass to give the Pioneers a 21-7 lead, but Snow didn’t necessarily feel it was safe.

“I didn’t think we were out of the woods,” Snow said. “Russell can sling it and they’ve got two good receivers who can catch it. That always gives them a chance to be around.”

Alexander Central actually outgained the Pioneers by one yard. The Cougars ran 63 plays and gained 354 yards in total offense.

But Watauga converted six of 12 third downs and both of its fourth down attempts. The Pioneers also scored on all three of their trips to the red zone.